Dark Horizon
by DarkLightSeeker
Summary: Riku always wanted to see the outside worlds, and he would even give himself over to the darkness to do so. But, how would that effect his and Sora's relationship? Destinies take some unexpected twists in this KH1 spin-off. Yaoi, Sora/Riku, Ansem/Riku
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note:_**

_This thing here that I like to call "Dark Horizon" is a Kingdom Hearts 1 fanfiction, following the events of Riku's story. This is a completely fan-based view of his side of the tale, of course, following the main plot of the original game, plus quite a few plot twists here and there. The key couple in this story is Sora/Riku, but there is also A LOT of Ansem/Riku, though, it is not the main pairing here.  
><em>

_Thanks for stopping by to read! ^_^ Feel free to review, I love critique~!_

**_Disclaimer: _**_No, I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts, as much as I'd love to~ _

* * *

><p>Turquoise eyes watched happily from afar at the sleeping heap of brunette and red. Messy spikes bounced carelessly in the salt-tinged breeze. A small smile crept onto the silver-haired boy's flawless, carefully crafted lips.<p>

Riku looked down into the pond of fresh water, just a few steps away from the comfortably cold hideaway of the Destiny Islands. The Secret Place, it was called, the cove he and Sora visited since they were little. He couldn't help but glance at the entrance, hidden carefully with curtains of moss, and smile warmly. It was the only thing on these accursed Islands that still interested him, after all.

"Don't worry, things will be a lot more interesting, soon enough..," Riku whispered carefully to himself, "Just one more week, and we'll be free."

Pushing away from the unexplainable need to enter the Secret Place, he looked away. Hmm… Quite a few logs were scattered about the area. Nice sized ones, too. He made a mental note to pick up some later, for the raft.

The green eyed youth began to walk over to Sora, smirking when he noticed that Kairi was nowhere to be seen. _Perfect…_ It was certainly rare to find the other boy alone, lately.

"Boy, are you lazy!" Riku shouted mockingly. When the other sprung up out of slumber, almost in a panic, he continued with a frown, "Having bad dreams again?"

Sora rubbed his eyes, looking up at Riku tiredly, "Yeah, they've gotten… worse, lately," He sighed, "Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you ever think… maybe we'd get lost at sea? We'd get… split up? Wh-what would happen, then…?"

Riku sat down beside him, subconsciously wrapping his arm around Sora's waist. "Don't worry, Sora, that won't happen… And, even if it does, I'll be there to save you. I'll bring you back to shore, if I have to, I promise."

Sora's face went crimson. He squirmed around nervously, but eventually gave in and rested comfortably against the silver-head's chest. Ever since they were young, the two friends were always closer than they should, especially since they were both male. Yes, it was… _odd_, but the two shared a bond, unlike any other.

Riku, though, wanted Sora so much… But, then, where was the rift in their bond. Kairi… The mystery girl from another world.

As much as it pained him, Sora undoubtedly had feelings for their female friend. Even though Riku knew the spiky brunette had feelings for his best friend, as well, he truly didn't want the red-head in his way.

Scanning the Islands quickly, Riku felt his firm lips curve up into a smirk. Well, he didn't have to worry about Kairi just yet. There she was, sitting on the small dock with Selphie. _Probably gossiping, as always,_ he thought. Ugh, he really didn't understand girls. That was all they seemed to do! Other than collecting seashells and making stupid little charms out of them, of course. Gossip, gossip, gossip. What was there even to gossip about in such small Islands? On both the Destiny Islands, and the Main Island, their only friends were each other. Sora, Riku, Kairi, Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka. The six part-time residents of the play islands all had a bond, some stronger than others, but the only bonds the teens had, other than family ties.

But, still Riku couldn't imagine what could be so exciting to gossip about. Nothing in the least…

_Whatever, it doesn't matter…_

"Hey, Sora?"

"Hmm?" Was Sora's murmured reply, looking back at him.

"Are you hot?"

Sora raised a brow at this, another blush claiming his smooth, shiny cheeks.

Riku simply laughed, standing up, "It's hot out! Want to go for a swim with me?" He smirked. Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed both ends of his shirt, carelessly tugging it off, to expose more of his silky, flawless pale skin.

Sora's blush widened until his entire face went beat-red. He couldn't help but stare; it was, strangely enough, _very_ _rare_ that he saw Riku with his shirt off. He let out a mental sigh. It was a nice image…

When Riku caught the younger male staring, Sora ripped his gaze away, back to the setting sun, "Sure, I guess I'll come…" He whispered anxiously.

He could see Riku remove his gloves and kick off his shoes from the corner of his eye. Though, Sora didn't stare this time. Instead, he occupied his attention by fumbling with the zipper of his jumpsuit with shaking hands. At first, the zipper seemed to be stuck, refusing to move. After a few aggravated yanks, the zipper caught in the hems of the rubbery red material gave way, sliding down, down past his crotch, down until it caught at the end. Sora's suit gave way, slipping off his shoulders, his chest seeming to glimmer, his loose black boxers poking out to taunt Riku.

"Heh heh… oops," Sora chuckled half-heartedly, rubbing the back of his head.

Now it was Riku's turn to stare. Sora had such smooth skin, smooth as a baby's. The hues of reds and yellows and oranges and dark blues reflecting off of him… Oh, how Riku just wanted to touch him! To feel every inch of him! It was a dreadful, selfish, yet so right of a thought. But, he couldn't. No, he wouldn't.

"Haha!" The silverette laughed, "Looks like that jumpsuit has some disadvantages, huh?"

"Sh-shut up!"

Riku ignored the empty command, smirking cockily again. "Race ya in."

"Oh, you're on!"

But Riku didn't wait for his response. He was already darting down the beach at the speed of light, not looking back.

Of course, the elder boy won the race, as per usual. Sora kept a pout firmly planted on his face, whining, "No fair! You got a head start!"

Riku was laughing at him, "Whatever! I still won!" He splashed the brunette.

"Ugh! You're so immature!"

"Look who's talking!"

"Ack..! S-shut up!"

"Why? We're having fun!"

There was only one thing that broke through the laughter and bickering and splashes…

"Sora?"

The two boys instantly turned their heads up to see the owner of the voice, Riku cringing when he saw her.

"Sora… you said I can come to dinner at your house? We better get going, it's late…" Kairi said a bit quietly, hands folded behind her. She was right. Darkness was slowly closing in on the peaceful Destiny Islands. The sun had disappeared under the horizon, a full moon the only source of light left. Several stars remained, but many seemed to disappear… snuffed out by the darkness.

"Oh! Y-you're right… Sorry..," Sora sputtered out, blushing ferociously. Kairi turned around, leaving Riku as the only one that watched Sora walk back to the shore, throwing his clothes on with haste.

And then, they were gone.

Not a single goodbye, it was as though Riku no longer existed. It pained his heart, like an icy cold dagger piercing right through it. He just stood there, not following after them, the eerie dark light of the moon shining down on him. Him and only him.

He let out a yell.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Author's Note:_**

_Yeah, this chapter came out longer than I expected it to be ene But, being the Ansem/Riku shipper I so proudly am, it HAS to be long xwx'' So, yeah.  
><em>_WARNING: Contains, well, obviously, Ansem/Riku and all the weird darkness and shit that comes with it. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. I think. It still contains some one-sided SoRiku. So that counts for something, right?  
>And, yes, there will be a lot more SoRiku in this fanfic, so don't be phased by me and my strange pairing here~ <em>

_Thanks for stopping by to read! ^_^ Feel free to review, I love critique~!_

**_Disclaimer: _**_No, I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts, as much as I'd love to~_

* * *

><p>After a few more seemingly endless minutes of standing in the cold ocean, staring at where Kairi stood, Riku wadded his way back to shore. Cold wind sent chills racing down his lithe back the very instant he bent down to retrieve his discarded shirt. With a shiver, he quickly pulled the rubbery shirt over his head and onto his drenched form.<p>

"Sora…"

It was the only word his lips could form. He cried the name out into the emptiness, just hoping the youth would hear him. Just hoping that he would come back to him. A hope that would never become reality…

Riku didn't want to go home. He wouldn't go home. He wasn't hungry, he didn't want to eat. He'd only think of Sora and Kairi, probably sprawled out, eating together on the brunette's bed this very second. He couldn't think about it, he wouldn't. He didn't want that pain.

Sora… Why must Kairi bring them apart? It… it hurt so much… Sora would be his, his and his only! He would own the brunette, yes, that was the only way! _Sora will be mine…!_

He didn't even notice as more and more sinister thoughts and ideas invaded his mind, claimed his heart. He would find a way to get Kairi out of the way… He would make sure that Sora loved only his silver-haired friend… He would make things work, yes, no matter what the price! Only a single droplet of icy water broke his chain of thoughts.

Another quickly followed after the other, and another, and another, and another… One, two, three minutes passed. The innocent, petite drizzle transformed into a downpour, wind picked up and whipped around Riku's hair mercilessly.

_That's odd..,_ Riku thought with curiosity, _We never get storms here…_

Shivering from the icy chills adding to the boy's discomfort, Riku realized he had to get somewhere safe. Not that he was stupid to not think of that earlier, of course. His mind was in a jumble, he wasn't thinking straight. The thunder roaring at the teen, challenging him confirmed the obvious assumption. But… where could he go..?

_"Come to me, my puppet…"_

"Wh-what? Who's there?" He instantly demanded in response, giving the bone-chilling wind access to his lungs. Puppet? What? Who was that..? Why did it call Riku its puppet? With slight hesitation, Riku subconsciously declared that he must be delusional, hearing things…

_"Come to me…"_

The shivers got worse when the voice repeated itself. Where was it coming from? It sounded… like it was in his head. The question kept nagging at him. Who was it? Riku was pretty sure he didn't have any imaginary friends that called him a puppet… Nope, he was sure, he was never lame enough to have imaginary friends, and he never would be. So who could it have been..?

"Oh…kay…"

After the shakily muttered agreement, Riku's head turned towards the hidden cove. The Secret Place… Of course… That was the perfect place to hide out in until the storm passed!

Absently, he walked through the bitter wind and rain nipping at his skin to the place that welcomed him so, to the voice calling out to him. Maybe, he would see that strange door again… The only mysterious thing on those damned Islands…

The youth looked around quickly when he entered the cove, maybe to his advantage, or maybe not, finding nothing there that would be speaking to him. Riku let out a sigh, sitting himself down in the middle of the winded path, close to the entrance and only exit, but not close enough to get any more wet than he already was. Again, he let his mind wander.

Sora… Sora, Sora, Sora. Obviously, that was the one thing he could think about. The only thing his mind let him wonder about. Still, his heart cried out for his best friend, the tiny glimmer of hope, of light, still praying for him to come back. Once the brunette saw the storm, he would jump in his boat and come to check and make sure his friend was alright in a heartbeat, right? He sure hoped so…

The voice again broke through his barrier of his safe thoughts,

_"Yes, yes… Come to your King, my puppet, come…"_

Those mere words brought Riku hurling back into reality. His daydreaming eyes cleared up, and when he turned around, what he saw made his brow furrow.

A man dressed in a dark brown cloak, hands, legs, feet covered, his face hidden completely by a hood, stood in front of the mysterious door with no knob. He turned from the door to stare at Riku, amber eyes piercing through the boy's very soul.

Riku's body turned to ice. His heart stopped. His legs felt like lead. He took a step back, his entire body shaking. He went to say something, but the man broke his words.

_"This world has been connected… Tied to the darkness… Soon to be completely eclipsed..," _Riku could distinctly see the tiniest of smirks on the man's lips, _"You do not yet know what lies beyond the door…" _

Riku perked up a little, swallowing the strange buildup of fear inside him, he stared at the cloaked figure, "You… you know about that door, don't you?"  
>The man simply ignored the statement, <em>"You hold the power to unlock the door…"<em>

That statement caught much interest to Riku. Power to unlock the door? What could he mean by that..? He was pretty sure he didn't have any 'power' to do anything like that…

"_You have power beyond your belief," _He said, almost as though he heard the teen's thoughts, _"but you do not yet know it, of course… You understand so little."_

Riku growled at that. That man was speaking nonsense, yet he claimed that the only sane one in the cave didn't understand anything? "Who are you?"

The man's smirk widened. White gloves peeked out from his long sleeves as he reached up to remove his hood. Silky silver locks poured gracefully out around his darkly tanned features. Oh, how his hair was so oddly styled! Feathery spikes pointed up just above both his ears, just little wisps of silver. On top of his head was a single curved spike. Amber eyes seemed to flash mockingly.

"My name is Ansem," He said with pride, "though you may address my as 'King' or 'Master', my puppet."

Riku came to a conclusion once those words reached his ears. That man was crazy. King? Master? Puppet? What was his problem? He had a feeling he was a bit too high on his horse.

"Why is that, Ansem?"

Ansem scoffed, inching closer to the boy. Riku went to back away, but his legs wouldn't obey him, they just stayed glued to the floor. The elder simply ran his fingers through the other's soft hair gently. He leaned in until his lips brushed against a pale ear.

"Because you belong to me, now…"

"Wh-what? No I don't! G-get away from me..! Let go, damnit!"

"Yes you do," Ansem bit down on the tender earlobe.

Riku groaned loudly, squirming in desperation to get away. Ansem was touching him. Touching him, touching him anywhere and everywhere. What in _fuck _was his problem? What was he, some sick pervert? That's what he was clearly making himself look like. Hiding out in caves, calling out to little, unsuspecting boy, calling them puppets and filling their heads with nonsense. Yeah, sure. That was normal.

Though, Riku had _never_ been touched like that, ever. It was the way he so wanted Sora to touch him…

"_You want to be stronger…"_

Something about how he said that made Riku's body go stiff. He stopped struggling completely, letting the elder touch him however he wanted. Ansem's voice wrapped around his mind, filling up and engulfing his heart… He couldn't explain it, nor would he remember even _how_ to explain anything, but he suddenly felt like he could do absolutely anything that voice commanded him to do. It was almost… hypnotic. Alluring, definitely, but it seemed to almost drag Riku down, practically mesmerizing him. It was so strange… What was going on? He… almost didn't care, anymore…

"Yes, I do…" He muttered blankly, his voice sounding much like a theoretical zombie. Though, it was true. He did want to be stronger, more than anything.

"_You want to have the power to protect your friends…"_

"Y-yeah… I do… w-want that…"

Ansem smirked, stroking his cheek with a gloved, long finger, _"I can give you that power… do you want that?"_

Riku felt himself subconsciously leaning into Ansem. He was so warm… his form so strong… He almost wanted the elder to wrap his arms around him, though he was still at a blank as to why. Did he really want that…? "Y-yes… I would like that…"

Ansem smirked. The boy had such a strong heart, he could feel it… that steady beat against his cloaked chest… Though, it seemed as though he didn't have the will to fight the darkness. What a pity. He was looking forward to having some fun with his prey. Ah, well, maybe it was because of that sorrow he could sense so greatly from Riku. Yes, maybe when that cleared up, it would be more of a challenge… heh, corrupting the boy…

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"R-Riku…"

Much to Riku's pleasure, Ansem hooked his arms around the boy's waist. His own arms stiffly followed the other's example by hooking themselves around the darker neck.

"Well, then, Riku… I shall grant you this…" With eyes gleaming sinisterly, he broke away. The gloved hand showed itself again, rising up to the heavens. Darkness enveloped his arm, coiling gracefully.

Riku couldn't help but stare in awe. A moment later, a blade appeared in Ansem's hand, oddly shaped like a bat wing. He lowered it to give Riku a better look.

The teen's eyes instantly focused on the bright azure, slit eye on the handle. He stared into it, an endless void of blue. Darker, darker, darker it got, until it lead into the deepest depths of darkness. He was falling, falling into it, sinking, drowning. It was sucking him in.

Riku suddenly flinched, his gaze breaking away when the eye slowly closed and opened, closed and opened.

It blinked. The sword _blinked. _He wasn't sure if he should be freaking out, or if he should be utterly intrigued.

"This is for you, Riku…"

Riku reached out and took the sword in his hands.

"Thank you, my Ki-" He bit his tongue. What was he saying? He didn't want to say that…

"Soul Eater," Ansem said after a moment, staring at the demonic weapon, "It is called Soul Eater."

"Soul Eater…" Riku echoed, absently running a finger down the wing-like blade. He could feel such a dark vibe coming from it… Yet, it seemed so perfect…

Ansem laughed, "Be carfefull with it, though, or else its darkness will consume you."

Riku simply nodded, the other still laughing.

"Wield this as a symbol of your absolute loyalty to me, Riku…"

The silver-head teen's eyes widened, finally awakening from the trance-like state Ansem brought him into. He took a large step back, his breaths coming quick and unsteady. "Wh-what… are you talking about?"

Ansem let out a silent sneer, placing a hand over Riku's chest, right over his heart.

"_Your heart belongs to me, now…"_

Riku didn't know what was going on anymore, if he ever knew at all, which he was mainly positive that he didn't. All he knew was that he wanted to go home… that he wanted to see Sora. The elder's hand became ice cold; he could feel something slipping off of it… Darkness… darkness, sinking into his heart. His eyes regained the dull, distant look. In one last desperate attempt, his heart screamed out for his best friend, for his Sora.

"I belong to you, my King…"


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author's Note:_**

_Sorry for the wait on this chapter, a lot of shit going on in life right now... Rushed, so you can expect to see better in the next chapters. Meh, so, enjoy._

_Thanks for stopping by to read! ^_^ Feel free to review, I love critique~!_

**_Disclaimer: _**_No, I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts, as much as I'd love to~_

* * *

><p>Sora had always loved the view from his bedroom on the main island. Just a simple peek out his window and he could see the Destiny Islands, floating peacefully across the ocean. He loved looking out at it, but not tonight. No, certainly not tonight.<p>

He watched as the rain poured down from the sorrowful sky, making his heart hurt. Rain – the angels crying down upon their world… that was rain. The merciless flashes of lightning deepened that pain.

The brunette sincerely hoped that Riku left the play islands to go back home right after he and Kairi left. He… he couldn't imagine what fate could have befallen the silver-head if he didn't leave despite the storm's warnings… Guilt flooded through his veins, right into his heart. Sora could distinctly feel his vision blur, his eyes growing damp.

"Sora? You okay?" Kairi questioned after taking a sip of her coconut milk. She rested on top of Sora's bed, the soft sky blue comforter rubbing against her crossed legs. He couldn't help but notice the firm frown planted on her face.

Sora just shook his head, glancing at her briefly before turning back to gaze out the window. He rubbed the strange tears out of his eyes, "Riku… I-I'm worried about him…"

The red-head shivered, standing up. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around her friend in hopes of soothing him. "I'm sure he's fine, Sora."

Sora ignored her words. Instead, he focused on the affectionate gesture the girl was giving him. His eyes slipped closed. Though Kairi's arms were so frail, they suddenly made him think of Riku. The older male always hugged him tight whenever Sora was upset. Subconsciously, he leaned into her, like he did when Riku held him. And, for a split instant, he _was_ in the silverette's arms. He nuzzled the back of his head into the chest behind him.

"Riku…"

Kairi felt her face turn a rosy shade of pink.

Sora swayed in the girl's arms, murmuring out something inaudible. Even though she had no idea what he said, the words somehow reminded Kairi of the phrase dear to every female's heart… _I love you…_

She flinched, her heart clenching. She knew for a fact that those lovely words were not directed to her. No, she had a feeling that those words Sora spoke were reserved only for Riku.

But… Riku? With Sora? It made no sense… Sure, she caught the two stripped down, playing in the ocean, but she figured that was normal for boys their age. Was it? Maybe it wasn't… Kairi didn't know, her mind didn't quite swing that way.

"I-I'm… so cold…"

Kairi's conscience was ripped back into reality when Sora spoke again, "Then… Come on… Let's go warm up… i-in your bed..," She yawned.

Sora didn't even realize the sly trap the girl was leading him into. He just nodded, his yawn mimicking hers. "Damn… Yawns… really are… contagious…"

Kairi smiled warmly at him, giggling softly. She let go of the brunette and stood up, motioning him to do the same. "I'll be right back. I'm going to give the dishes to your mom." She said in a sing-song tone.

Sora nodded lazily, already getting himself settled in bed. He watched as his female friend walked away and out of his room. The instant the door shut, so did his eyes, and he weaved himself under the blanket decorating his mattress.

He didn't even wait until Kairi returned. He was quickly sinking into the darkness of slumber, his breathing slowed and peaceful. He broke away from reality. Nightmares swallowed him.

"Your time to open the door draws near…"

Riku didn't even pay attention to what the man named Ansem said anymore. The elder had crept far too close to him yet again. The teen's form slumped backwards, falling onto his back, staring with wide eyes as that heartless man grew closer still. He felt like such helpless prey, about to be hunted.

The nightmare of his cruel reality only got worse when he saw black, inky, ant-like creatures sprout from the ground. Glowing, empty yellow orbs stared at Riku as the shadow fiends twitched and swayed around him. One, two, four, eight… the things were multiplying as each second slipped away. He continued to squirm backwards, more and more, desperate to get away. His limbs were stiff from the coldness; he needed warmth. He needed he warmth, oh, he needed it so much… He let out a silent yelp when his body pressed against the stone wall of the secret cove.

"Don't bother, boy. This is your fate. You might as well accept it with open arms."

Riku hissed at him. A hiss dripping with pure hatred. He didn't want this, no, he didn't want this. This man was clearly insane; the youth wanted nothing to do with him.

"G-get away! Leave me alone, damnit!"

In truth, Ansem was taken by surprise at the sudden rebellion. He shook his head, smirking again. Feisty…. All the more fun. Roughly, he snatched Riku's chin, yanking it around a bit. The boy cringed.

"Don't touch me!"

"I'll touch you all I want, boy."

Another growl ripped from Riku's throat. He jerked his head away from the elder's grip, and just for a brief instant, amber consumed his sea green eyes.

_"Fuck off, Ansem."_

Out of nowhere, the slick laughter of the elder boomed around the Secret Place. He was obviously pleased with this first encounter.

"Very well, _Riku._ Just know this… When the time comes, you _will _belong to me."

Riku went to counter with more harsh words, but before he could form a mere syllable, Ansem disappeared. Just disappeared. Vanished into thin air… To his eyes, Riku could have sworn the man's body turned into darkness itself, blown away by the wind.

But, this didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Riku was tired, so very tired… His eyes closed over.

"Sora… please… come back… I… need you…"


	4. Chapter 4

**_Author's Note:_**

_Not much to say about this chapter, kinda rushed... I don't know. Enjoy.  
><em>

_Thanks for stopping by to read! ^_^ Feel free to review, I love critique~!_

**_Disclaimer: _**_No, I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts, as much as I'd love to~_

* * *

><p>Sora awoke with a start, cold sweat running down his skin, his breaths quick and heavy. He looked to his left – he could still see the storm raging from his window.<p>

_ Riku…_ He was the only thing Sora could think of. Riku… he had to be alright. He had to be…

When he glanced to his right, he flinched, surprised. Kairi lay next to him, her head resting on the brunette's shoulder, a peaceful smile on her face. She was sleeping happily. Not even an earthquake could disrupt her slumber.

Sora smiled slightly. As much as, dare he admit it, liked Riku, he liked Kairi as well. A little love triangle he was caught in, one that could lead him into terrible results. The three were best friends… even just a single step he took closer to one of his two friends would ruin everything. Kairi… if she found out his feelings for Riku, she would be thrown into devastation, for sure. And if Riku found out that he liked Kairi…

He didn't know how he would react.

Sora looked away from Kairi, looking back out the window. With the rain pouring down like It was, he could barely even see the Destiny Islands. His thoughts slipped away from the red-head next to him. All of his thoughts slipped away, drifting off until all that remained was Riku.

How would he react if he knew that Sora had feelings for Kairi…? More importantly, did Riku even like Sora back? He didn't have the slightest clue. Sure, Riku had been acting oddly around him lately… Even earlier, back on the Islands, the way he watched Sora strip down… It certainly seemed like he had _some_ sort of interest in the brunette, but there was no way to know for sure. Riku never made it too obvious as to how he felt. He seemed to keep to himself all of the time, unless he felt that he should share whatever was on his mind to his friends. He wasn't like Kairi, either, who Sora could read like a book, no matter what she was trying to hide. No, Riku always kept his pages tightly closed, impossible to read without his permission.

As much as Sora would love to know how strong his silver-haired friend's feelings for him were, that wasn't his most important thought. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong… Was Riku okay? Or, did he really say on the play islands, no matter how powerful the storm became?

He had to know.

Carefully, he slipped away from Kairi's warm, comforting form and out of the bed. He crept over to the window to take another worried look out. He winced when he felt his stomach clench. He knew for a fact that things were definitely not right.

_Mom's going to be so mad.., _he thought. Not just mad, worried sick. But… it's for Riku, she'd understand, right?

He didn't even give himself time to think about it. He quickly put his shoes on, running out the door. Out of instinct, he grabbed his wooden sword Riku gave him as well.

"You better be okay, Riku…!" He muttered to himself, shivering when the cold rain dumped onto him. He shook his head. He really was crazy… running out in the middle of a storm, just to look for Riku, who's probably sleeping comfortably in his bed right about now. "I can't just assume… I have to know."

When Sora reached the dock was when he finally stopped to think about what he was attempting to do. His dad always told him never to go out to the Islands when it was storming. He could only imagine what he'd think if he knew his son was about to head there with all of the lightning crashing around him. His heart was racing, but still it told him that he needed to go. He knew now for sure… Riku needs him.

Sora jumped into the small row boat, placing his toy sword in between his two feet. Determination gleaming in his eyes, he began to paddle with all his might towards the play islands.

Riku still lay on the cold floor of the Secret Place when Sora finally reached him.

"Riku!" He knew it. He knew it… Sora ran over to his best friend, freezing when he saw a small blob of black next to him. "H-huh…?"

A black ant-like shadow was crouching on all fours not even inches away from the boy's silver locks. It just stared at him with its beady yellow eyes.

Sora shivered, raising his wooden sword up defensively, "Wh-what are you?"

The black creature turned its yellow gaze up to him. Antennae twitched for a moment, and then it hissed at him. It sunk into the ground, leaving a puddle-like blob where it was. The blob moved, swerving around a bit, heading straight towards Sora. Before the brunette could even think of reacting, the blob formed back into the shadow ant, pouncing at him.

Sora swung the sword at it, yelling, "Get away from me!"

The shadow ant flew into the wall, but didn't seem to be in any pain. It just hopped right back up, hissing more than before.

"Damnit..!" He muttered, going over to Riku and shaking him slightly, "Riku, w-wake up..!"

No response.

"Riku…!" He didn't have time to yell at him. Whatever that thing was, it didn't seem too happy. Sora crouched down, picking him up in his arms. "S-sorry… don't k-know if you like me doing this… but w-we have to leave…"

And with that, the brunette ran off with his unconscious friend held carefully in his arms.


End file.
